Paralysed woman controls robotic arm

Doctors have been stunned by the incredible level of control achieved through a mind-reading interface.

Having lost the use of her own limbs more than 10 years ago due to a degenerative disease, 52-year-old Jan has been training at the University of Pittsburgh to operate a robotic arm that is controlled entirely using her thoughts. Unlike previous models, the new arm aims to make control more intuitive by allowing the patient to think of the overall goal rather than each specific movement.

"We were blown away by how fast she was able to acquire her skill, that was completely unexpected," said Professor Andrew Schwartz. "At the end of a good day, when she was making these beautiful movements, she was ecstatic."

"A woman who is paralysed from the neck down has stunned doctors with her extraordinary skill at using a robotic arm that is controlled by her thoughts alone."